Treatment options

Kidney transplantation involves implanting a healthy kidney from one donor, alive or deceased, to a person with chronic kidney disease. Receiving a new kidney is not a cure for kidney disease, but a treatment. Many patients with chronic kidney disease are suitable candidates for transplantation. But not everyone.

If you would like to explore transplantation as a treatment option, the first step is to discuss your personal situation with your nephrologist. The nephrologist evaluates your health and kidney condition before making a recommendation. If your nephrologist concludes you would make a good transplantation candidate, you often need to complete examinations and tests. Then your doctor can place you on the national transplant waiting list to receive a kidney from a deceased individual, or find a compatible live donor.

Making the right choice

Transplantation is a highly personal topic – one that you should give both time and thought to. Perhaps begin by speaking to your nephrologist about your situation. If you both agree that transplantation is an option, you can always place yourself on the waiting list if you don’t have a living donor, while giving the decision more thought. Speaking to others about the benefits and disadvantages of transplantation may help you reach a decision on what's best for you.

Hemodialysis is a treatment where blood is filtered outside the body with a dialysis machine. During hemodialysis, blood is drawn off from a blood vessel and passed through a synthetic filter, called a dialyzer. In this dialyzer the blood is cleaned before being returned to the body, therefore, this dialyzer is the so called ‘artificial kidney’. Hemodialysis is generally performed for at least three hours three times a week, usually in a dialysis unit.

An alternative to a clinic based dialysis treatment is being treated in a familiar environment at home. Different types of home dialysis allow patients to adapt their treatment to their everyday routine. However every type of treatment has its own challenges.

When hemodialysis is best

With modern dialysis machines, three hemodialysis sessions a week, each lasting for a minimum of four hours are usually what you’ll need. During this time, are connected to the dialysis machine. It’s really quite remarkable when you consider that the dialysis machine is trying to achieve in twelve hours treatment per week what healthy kidneys do around the clock, day in, day out. By taking the right steps, together we can help you lead as healthy a life as possible. 

This treatment is called peritoneal dialysis (PD) because the filtering of the blood is done in the peritoneum - the membrane that lines the cavity.

The peritoneal cavity acts as a storage area for the dialysis fluid and the filtration takes place across the peritoneum.  Toxins and excess fluid cross the peritoneal membrane during the pre-scribed dwell time.

A permanent tube or catheter, is inserted into the peritoneal cavity. Through which, dialysis fluid is fed into the cavity and left to absorb the impurities from the blood. Later, the fluid is drained-off into a bag and replaced with fresh fluid. This process of filling and draining, can be done manually during the day (Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis, CAPD) or using an automatic process at night with a cycler (Automated Peritoneal Dialysis, APD). Either way you will need to feel capable and confident to handle the procedure.

Who is Peritoneal Dialysis right for?

There are times when peritoneal dialysis may be the better option. But in many cases, it’s a medically-driven choice. For example, if you have some types of heart or vascular disease. Because of their restricted vascular access, peritoneal dialysis is usually the treatment choice for young children. Opting for dialysis at home also allows children to continue their schooling.